Breaking Point
by HPDrummerman
Summary: After being pushed too far by Violet, Charlie Brown lashes out at her in the most unimaginable way for him. His friends and enemies re-examine how they treat others, and how THEY would want to be treated. And it leads to a shocking conclusion.
1. Chapter 1

Breaking Point

**CHAPTER 1: THE SLAP HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD**

"…AND YOU'RE STUPID, AND YOU'RE ANNOYING, AND YOU'RE SPINELESS…"

It was a familiar setting to Charlie Brown. He was being admonished by Violet Gray, his biggest antagonist who's name wasn't Lucy Van Pelt. But while Lucy would be quick to insult Charlie Brown in a heartbeat, she still considered him a friend. The same could not be said for Violet, who hated the boy with every fiber of her body. She would never pass up the moment to tease Charlie Brown, sometimes in tandem with her best friend Patty Swanson. Sometimes she would do it with glee, like if she would not invite him to a party, or if he did something that she considered dumb but made her laugh, or sometimes it would be in anger or she's annoyed, like this particular day, for example. And what was Charlie's biggest crime, besides existing, did he commit? The simple act of asking if she had the time. Usually Patty would join in with her, but even she was staying back, as Violet was in a particular rotten mood, almost outdoing Lucy's crabbiness. ALMOST.

"YOU'RE FACE IS TOO ROUND AND DUMB-LOOKING! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT! YOU CAN'T FLY A KITE! YOU CAN'T KICK A FOOTBALL, though that one is more Lucy's fault than your own, BUT YOU STILL FALL FOR THE SAME TRICK EVERY TIME! YOU CAN'T WIN A BALL GAME…"

But this day was different for Charlie Brown. Because instead of looking down and getting more depressed and hurt as he usually did when something like this happened, he was growing angrier and angrier by the minute. Every insult hurled his way by this spoiled rotten brat would usually get a pained response or sad look, but now, unadulterated rage was building inside of the blockhead. He was just waiting for the right moment to let her have it. And there was witnesses watching her tear into him. His best friend Linus, just glared angrily at Violet. His sister Sally hid her face in shame. Lucy was laughing at the scene. Schroeder shared Linus's anger at Violet insulting Charlie Brown with no regard to his feelings, and Frieda felt sorry for Charlie Brown. But then Violet gave him the reason he was looking for when she uttered something so harsh, even for her. A level that not even Lucy, who would never pass on a chance to insult Charlie Brown, would ever go to with him.

**"YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE ABORTED YOU WHEN SHE CONCEIVED YOU!"**

"What did you say?" asked Charlie Brown.

"I said, you blockhead, _**YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE ABORTED YOU WHEN**_-"

Violet would not finish what she was saying, because before she knew it, she was struck across the face and fell to the floor. Everyone, including Lucy and Patty, gasped at what had transpired. All the laughing and "oohing and aahing" had stopped. The next thing Violet saw was Charlie Brown nursing his right hand, stinging from the slap he had just delivered her.

"Don't you EVER talk about my mother like that, you witch!" he growled. Everyone was taken aback. No one had ever saw Charlie Brown like this. He had been pushed too far, that was obvious. And for the first time since she started on him, Violet was silent, as she nursed her still-stinging cheek. She looked at Charlie Brown, not with the disdain she had earlier, but with fear. At that moment, she knew she went too far with him, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

The silence was only broken by a teacher who witness the entire event. She grabbed both Charlie Brown and Violet and escorted both of them to the principal's office. Once there, both of their parents were called to sort out this mess.

**NEXT CHAPTER: WHAT HAPPENS NOW?**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: WHO'S AT FAULT?**

Charlie Brown and Violet waited in the principal's office for their parents to come. Both were ordered not to look at each other, let alone talk to each other. Charlie Brown was finally calmed down from earlier when he was filled with rage, but was still upset. Violet had an ice bag on her cheek where she was struck. The principal sat silently filling out paperwork while waiting for their parents to arrive. Then the secretary beeped in.

"Mr. Robinson, the Browns and the Grays have arrived," she announced over the speaker phone.

"Send them in," said Mr. Robinson. Charlie's parents and Violet's parents came in. Her parents saw the red area where Charlie Brown had struck her.

"Oh my god, Violet!" gasped her mother.

"What did your son do to my little girl, Brown?!" growled her father.

"Please, calm down," said Mr. Robinson, trying to maintain order in his office. "I will explain what had happened if you all would take a seat." And all parties took a seat next to their kids.

Mr. Robinson began, "Mr. and Mrs. Gray, while I don't condone what Charles had done to your daughter in any way, shape, or form, from eyewitnesses accounts, she was the aggressor in this whole situation. From what the teacher that brought them in told me, and from what other students had said who witnessed the fight, she was the one who provoked him to strike. I will let both of them have their say and tell you all what happened in their own words. Violet, you go first."

"Charlie Brown and I had a little disagreement, and all of the sudden, he hit me for no good reason!" Violet fibbed.

"THAT'S A LIE!" protested Charlie Brown.

"Charles!" shuddered his mother.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Mr. Robinson. "Charles, you will have your say in a minute. Continue, Violet."

"After he hit me," Violet said, trying hard to make tears come out and fake sobbing, " he said some of the most mean things to me." Charlie Brown rolled his eyes at the performance Violet was giving. Mr. Robinson didn't indicate that he believed her fake story or not.

"Okay, Violet," he said. "Charles, you can tell your side now."

"Thank you, sir," said Charlie Brown. "Well it all started during recess. I was wondering what time it was, and Violet was the closest person to me, so I simply asked if she knew what time it was. What I got was 'It's time for you to get a life, Charlie Brown!' and then she started calling me every name in the book, short of actually using swear words. She pointed out my shortcomings and my faults, like I haven't heard it a million times already from her and others. And then she said something so hurtful and spiteful, even for her, that I lost it!"

"What did she say, son?" asked his father.

"She told me that mom should have aborted me when I was conceived," Charlie Brown said, not missing a beat, nearing actual tears when he repeated it.

"She WHAT?!" yelled Violet's mother.

"That's right, Mrs. Gray," Charlie Brown responded. "She said when my mother first got pregnant with me, she should have aborted me. I blew my stack and hauled off and struck her. I'm not making any kind of excuse for my actions, I'm really not. But Violet, amongst others, have made my life a nightmare with her constant taunts and not inviting me to parties."

"She always said you were too sick to come!" said Mr. Gray. "Violet, is what he's saying true?"

"NO, DADDY," pleaded Violet, "HE'S THE ONE WHO'S LYING!"

"Is he now?" asked Mr. Robinson. "Because, as I said, there were some eyewitnesses who collaborates what Charles is saying." And at that moment, Linus, Schroeder, Sally, Frieda, and even Lucy, came in to tell their side.

"Violet did say what she said to Charlie Brown," said Schroeder, not missing a beat.

"She's always been cruel to him since Day 1," Linus added.

"What did my brother do to you to hate him so much?!" yelled Sally. "Do you think mom should have aborted ME, as well?!"

"What is your deal with him, Violet?" asked Frieda. "He's a good guy. And while I don't condone what he did to you, I understand why, as well."

"Charlie Brown may be a blockhead," Lucy began, "but even _I_ wouldn't have said what you said to him about his mother, Violet!"

"She said it, Mr. and Mrs. Gray," Linus said to her parents. "In spite of her lies, we witnessed the whole exchange. She provoked him to strike when she said his mother should have aborted him."

Charlie Brown walked over to the Grays. "I'm sorry for striking your daughter. I usually don't do anything like that. But I'm not sorry for defending my mother's honor. And what Violet said to me today about her is just the tip of the iceberg of her cruelty, to me and others." Her parents glared at Violet, who was now sinking into her seat in shame.

"Well I have made a decision," announced Mr. Robinson. "Charles, I see that you were not the aggressor in this incident. And I will not suspend you. However, I can't let you off totally scot-free. So, in lieu of a suspension, I will instead hand down one hour of after school detention for two days."

"I understand, sir," said Charlie Brown.

"And as for you, young lady," he began on Violet, "I am going to make an example out of you, with your parents' permission, of course."

"Go right ahead, Mr. Robinson," said an angry Mrs. Gray. "Our spoiled brat of a daughter deserves what's coming!"

"Now I spared Charles a suspension for hitting you," he continued, "but I will not afford you the same luxury. Instead of two day of detention like I just gave Charles, I will give you two days of out of school suspension!"

"WHAT?!" shrieked Violet.

"And after you served your suspension, from the day you come back to Birchwood, for the rest of the school year, you are NOT to have any contact with Charles Brown, unless it's unavoidable like an assembly or fire drill. But you are not to talk to him, look at him, or even acknowledge his presence. For if you do, you WILL be expelled. And I am placing a 'No Tolerance' rule on bullying, and YOU, Ms. Gray, will be the prime example of that! Now is there any questions?"

"Can we take our daughter home now?" asked a furious Mr. Gray. "We still need to ground her for the rest of her adolescent life!"

"You are all free to go," said Mr. Robinson. And Charlie Brown and Sally left with their parents. Mrs. Gray grabbed her daughter by the arm and dragged her out of the office.

"When we get home, young lady, we are going to have a SERIOUS talk about how we treat others!" she growled at her daughter. "Then after we send you to your room, your father and I are going to figure out how our daughter became such an insufferable brat!" And they fled out of the office before anyone could say "goodbye".

"Well, let's go home, Charles," said his mother. "We also need to have a serious discussion."

"Ooh, you're going to get it now, big brother!" teased Sally.

"That's enough, Sally!" warned her father. And they too left the office.

**NEXT CHAPTER: FALLOUT**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: CALM AFTER THE STORM**

In addition to his two days of detention he had to serve, Charlie Brown as punishment from his parents would have to work every Saturday at his father's barber shop for two whole months without pay. He didn't like having his Saturdays taken away from him, but he bit the bullet. As a trade-off, he could still hang out with friends on Sundays after church. Charlie Brown had gotten off easy compared to Violet. When she and her parents got back home, they both read her the riot act and wondered how she became so mean towards her fellow students, especially Charlie Brown. She was grounded for two months herself, but unlike Charlie Brown who, despite having to work with his father every Saturday for his two months could otherwise do as he pleased, she was confined to her room, unless she had to go somewhere like the doctors, church, or school. She'd only come out of her room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and, of course, to use the bathroom if needed. Plus the principal's ban on her being anywhere near Charlie Brown carried over to home with her folks. Even after she was off her punishment, she couldn't seek out Charlie Brown or talk to him, and not because he had hit her, but because she was so cruel to him.

About a week after the incident, Charlie Brown was walking the halls of the school. Linus came up to him and said, "Hey, Charlie Brown. The fight between you and Violet is the talk of the school! Other folks are coming forward about her teasing them. We already know Pig Pen is a victim of hers, but kids we didn't even know about are coming to the principal about her!"

"I'm not proud of what I done that day, Linus," lamented Charlie Brown, "but I'd be lying if I said Violet didn't have it coming."

"My sister is even getting in trouble for her past aggressions," Linus stated. "She's even received detention for a few days. Dad grounded her until further notice."

"Wow!" said Charlie Brown. "My fight with Violet has started something big, hasn't it?"

"It sure has, Charlie Brown," said Linus with a smile. "Also, Patty hasn't been seen since your fight with Violet. I wonder if she's in hiding?"

"I wouldn't know," shrugged Charlie Brown. "Not really thinking about her." And the two boys went to their class. As he sat at his desk, Frieda came up to him.

"How are you doing after, you know, what happened last week?" she asked.

"I'm okay, Frieda," said Charlie Brown. "I'm not proud of hitting a girl, even if it was Violet, but there was so much I could take."

"I totally understand," assured Frieda. "Violet has teased you endlessly without regard to your feelings. And when she said that awful remark about your mother, you were driven to your breaking point. While everyone agrees you probably shouldn't had hit her, they also sympathize with you. I want you to know, I'm on Team Charlie Brown!"

"Thank you, Frieda," said Charlie Brown. And she went back to her desk. Schroeder walked up next.

"Charlie Brown," he began, "word cannot describe how proud I was of you that day! Figurately and literally you knocked Violet off her high-horse!"

"Yeah, I did," sighed Charlie Brown, "but, again, I'm not happy about it. Granted Violet had it coming for eons, but I never wanted it to go that way. I just lost it when she said that insane remark about my mother. And as I said, while I'm sorry for hitting her, I'm not sorry for defending my mother."

"Trust me, Charlie Brown," said Schroeder. "If anyone understands, it's me!" And he went to his desk. Soon it was time for class to begin and the students began the work for the day.

**NEXT CHAPTER: A SHOCKING MOVE, LITERALLY!**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: FROM BIRCHWOOD TO A CHARTER ACADEMY**

Summer vacation had arrived for the kids, and all were looking forward to the break. No one more so than Charlie Brown and his friends. However, Violet was still banned from talking to him, so she wouldn't be playing on his team. In fact, she wouldn't be going to Birchwood anymore, as the kids would find out soon enough. Schroeder ran up to Charlie Brown and Linus, who were talking about their summer plans.

"Hey, did you hear?" said Schroeder.

"Hear what?" asked Charlie Brown and Linus.

"Violet is being placed in a charter school next year!" Schroeder replied. "Patty just told me about it. After what had happened between you, Charlie Brown, and her, her parents think a new school and a new setting would fix her rotten attitude."

"Well, I didn't want things to come to this," admitted Charlie Brown, "but I do hope she'll be happier at her new place."

"I hope so, too," added Linus. At that moment, Patty herself, walked up.

"Well, I'm sure Schroeder gave you guys the news," said Patty, sadly.

"Yeah, he just did," said Linus. "So Violet won't be going here anymore, huh?"

"Nope," Patty responded. Turning to Charlie Brown, she said, "Charlie Brown, Violet wanted me to tell you that she's sorry for all the pain she caused you over the years. And that she was sorry for what she said about your mother."

"Tell her that it's now water under the bridge, and I'm fine now," said Charlie Brown.

"I'm sorry for my own abuse of you, as well," Patty continued, looking down. "You know, while I don't condone how you handled that situation, I do understand, too. And you know I would never said anything about your mother, right?"

"I know, Patty," said Charlie Brown. "Even though you two are best friends, I know you're different from Violet, too. And I know you would never had said anything like that, no matter how much you couldn't stand me."

"Yeah, well, I'll see you guys later." And Patty walked away from the boys.

"Well hope does spring eternal!" said Schroeder.

"Maybe there is hope for those girls after all," added Linus.

"That's a big 'maybe', Linus," said Charlie Brown. And the boys headed out the school.

Sometime later at his house, Charlie Brown was writing to his "Pencil Pal" a letter of the recent events that had gone on in his town. He had a lot to talk about, and he wasn't going to mince words.

_So Violet won't be going to our school anymore because of not just what had happened between me and her, but for how she was acting towards people in general. I always wanted to be her friend and I even once harbored an innocent crush on her. But now all of that had been destroyed by her rotten attitude and meanness towards me and other kids. Though other kids weren't safe from her wrath, even Lucy was a target of her rage, though Lucy could hold her own against her, I had gotten it the worst from her, and when she said what she said about my mother, I kind of lost it and well, you know. I don't condone how I hit her like I did, but imagine being driven to your breaking point. What would YOU have done?_

_Your friend,_

_Charlie Brown_

**THE END**


End file.
